Method of and apparatus for electrodeposition and the product thereof



Maid] 10, 1925. 1,529,249

H. D. G U E METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRODEPOSITION AND THE PRODUCT THEREOF Filed llay 19. 1923 3 AC 4 AC 95; AC 3 9- AC AUXILIARY AuxIuARY CATHCIDE A:ODE

4 Q 5 AC .00. J 1kg. I

AUXI IARY ELECTRODE.

INVENTOR;

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY D. GUE, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

METHOD OI. AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRODEPOSITION AND THE PRODUCT THEREOF.

Application filed Kay 19, 1923. Serial No. 840,038.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY D. GU13}! citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings. and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Apparatus for Electrodeposition and the Product Thereof, of which the .following is a specification.

This invention has reference to the art of elcctro-metallurgy and particularly relates to an improved process of electro-deposition, which has many advantages in technical results, to an improved product, resulting from said method, which has several important and novel characteristics and to an apparatus for carrying out said method and by which the said product is effected, economically, efficiently, and with unusual facility.

This invention may be aptly illustrated by reference to a conventional form of electrodeposition, wherein a container or vat is provided to contain a suitable electrolyte, in which are immersed an anode and a cath ode; these are usually included in a circuit carrying a direct current and the electro-deposition is accomplished by reason of the liberation of particles from one of said electrodes, and the deposit of the same on the other electrode, or the releasing of said particles to enrich the electrolyte, all according to well-known principles of electrodeposition. Reference in the claims to an electrolytic apparatus is intended to include and indentify an apparatus substantially the same as that above described.

In accordance with the several branches of my invention, an apparatus is employed in which, in addition to the usua-lelectrolytic pair, one or more extra electrodes are used which are capable of transmitting an electric current; but, preferably, the extra electrode is of non-resolvable character or quality.

The drawings accompanying this specification show diagrammatically various ways in which I contemplate applyin my invention and carrying out my metho details of which will now be set forth.

In the several figures, the container or vat is indicated by the numeral 1, which contains any suitable electrolyte indicated at 2. In all the figures the anode is indicated by A, the cathode by C, and the extra electrodes by A and A", and i-t'will be understood that one, or a plurality of, extra electrodes may be employed, which may be of carbon, or other insoluble material. Two or more extra electrodes may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention. The extra electrodes are so-called idle electrodes and are not primarily intended to be dissolved in the electrolyte to enrich the same, or to be deposited upon the object to be coated. Where resolvable elec- In Figure 1, the anode and cathode are connected to the opposite poles of a source of direct current,'in usual manner, by the leads5 and 6; while the source of alternating current has one of its leads 7 connected to the cathode and its other lead 8 connected to the independent electrode, which may be formed of non-resolvable material, is a conductor of current, and may be made of carbon or other suitable material.

Iu Figure 2, the anode is connected by lead 9 to one pole of the D. C. generator, the opposite pole of which is connected by lead 10 to the cathode; while one pole of the A. C. generator is connected by "lead 11 to the anode and the opposite pole is connected by lead 12 to the independent electrode.

In Figure 3, the anode is connected by lead 13 to one pole of an A. 0. generator, the opposite p0 e of which is connected by lead 14 to the independent electrode. In this form of my invention, the anode is also connected by lead 15 to one pole of a D. C. generator, the opposite pole of which is connected by a lead 16 to the cathode. Also, the cathode is connected by lead 17 to one pole of a second A. C. generator, the opposite .pole of which is connected by lead 18 to the independent electrode.

InwFigure 4, the anode is connected by lead 19 to one pole of an A. 0. generator, the opposite'pole of which is connected by lead '20 to the independent electrode. In this form the cathode is connected by lead 21 to one pole of a-second A. C. generator, the opposite ole of which is connected by lead 22 with t 1e independent electrode. Additionally, the'cathode is connected b lead 23 to one pole of a D. C. generator, t e 0pposite pole of which is connected by lead 24 to the anode.

In the form of my invention shown in Figure 5, the anode is connected by lead 25 to one pole of an A. C. generator, the opposite pole of which is connected by lead 26 to the cathode. The anode is also connected bylead- 27 to one pole of a D. C. generator, the opposite pole ofwhich-is connected by lead 28 to the cathode. Additionally, the anode is connected by lead 29 to one pole of a second A. C. generator, the opposite pole of which is connected by lead 30 to the independent electrode.

In the Figure 6 form of my invention, the anode is connected by lead 31 to one pole of a D. 0. generator, the opposite pole of which is connected. by lead 32 to the cathode, the cathode in turn being connected by lead 33 to one site po e of which is connected by lead 34 to an independent electrode A. The anode is de endent electrode A".

en two sources of alternating current are used in combination, as m Figures 3 to .6, inclusive, theyFmay be of the same voltage and frequency or of different voltage and/or frequency; or they may be subdivisions of a multi-phase source of alternating current.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my method of electrolytic deposition involves the use of one or more .mdependent electrodes having the characteristics described, the independent electrode or electrodes being immersed in the electrolyte, and acting only as a conductor for the a ternating currents enerated. And, as stated, the extra electro e may be, and preferably is, composed of non-resolvable material; but, I do not wish to be limited to electrodes of such characteristics, since I have obtained good results from electrodes which are re-" solvable electro-chemically. Therefore, in

"certain of my claims limitation will not be lpole ofan A. 0. generator, the oppoence, between the deposited metal and the substances coated, secures a more dense and homogeneous deposit or coating, and thus be merely tentative, I do not deem it necessary herein to enter into a detailed statement of what I believe to be the probable explanation. Experimentation, however, has demonstrated the foregoing favorable conditions and results emanating from the method described and the arrangements and combinations of generators and electrodes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by "Letters Patent is:

1. The herein described method of electrodeposition consisting of employing an electrolytic apparatus substantially as described and also employing in addition thereto an electrode immersed in the electrolyte and bringing said additional electrode and one of the usual pair of electrodes into a common electric circuit of predetermined characteristic.

2. The herein described method of electrodeposition consisting of employing an electrolytic apparatus substantially as described and also employing in addition thereto an electrode immersed in the electrolyte and bringing said additional electrode and one of the usual pair of electrodes into a common electric circuit of alternating current.

3. The herein described method of electrodeposition consisting of employing an electrolytic apparatus substantiall as. described, and also employing a p urality of additional electrodes immersed in the electrolyte, and bringing said additional electrodes and the electrodes of, said electrolytic apparatus into common electric circuits of predetermined characteristics.

4. In combination with an apparatus for electro-deposition including an electrolyte, an electrolytic pair in said electrolyte, an additional electrode immersed in said electrolyte, an electric circuit of predetermined characteristic in which the electrolytic pair is inserted and an independent electric circuit in which the additional electrode and one of the electrolytic pair are inserted.

In combination with an electrolytic tank containing the usual electrolyte and anode and cathode, a direct current circuit in which the anode and cathode are included, an independent electrode and an alternating current circuit in which the independent electrode and one of the electrolytic pair are inserted.

6. An article of manufacture having a coating of metal thereon produced by an electrolytic deposition process involving the use of the usual electrolytic pair, an lnde- I electrolyte, and bringing asid non-resolvable electrode and one of the usual pair of electrodes into a common electric circuit of predetermined characteristics.

8. The herein described method of electro+ deposition consisting in employing an electrol tic apparatus, substantially as described, and also employing an electrodeof non-resolvable character immersed in the electrolyte, and brin 'ng said non-resolvable electrode and one o the usual pair of electrodes into a common electric circuit of alternating current.

9. The herein described method of electrodeposition consisting in employing an electrolytic apparatus, substantially as de scribed, and also employing a plurality of electrodes of non-resolvable character immersed in the electrolyte, and bringing said non-resolvable electrodes and the electrodes of the apparatus into common electric circuits of predetermined character.

10. In combination with an apparatus for electrodeposition includin an electrolyte an electrolytic pair in sai electrolyte, an a non-resolvable electrode immersed in said electrolyte, an electric circuit of predetermined character in which the electrolytic pair is inserted, and an independentzelectric circuit in which the non-resolvable electrode and one of the electrolytic pair are inserted.

11. In combination with an electrolytic cell, containing the usual electrolyte and anode and cathode, a direct'current circuit in which the anode and cathode are inserted, an independent electrode of non-resolvable character, and an alternating current circuit in which the independent electrode and one of the electrolytic pair are inserted.

12. An article of manufacture having a coating of metal thereon produced by an electrolytic deposition process involving the use of the'usual electrolytic pair, and an independent electrode inserted in an electric circuit of different characteristics conveyed to the electrodes through the electrolyte.

13. An article of manufacture having a coatin of metal thereon produced by an electro ytic deposition process involving the use of the usual electrolytic pair, and an independent electrode of non-resolvable character inserted in'an electric circuit of different characteristics conveyed to theelectrodes through the electrolyte.

14. An article of manufacture coating of metal thereon produced by an electrolytic deposition process involving the use of the usual electrolytic pair and an independent electrode inserted in an electric circuit of diflerent characteristics conveyed to the electrodes through the electrolyte.

HARRY 1). GUE.

having a 

